10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now

Earnings announcements aside, it's been a busy week for utilities. From natural gas and transmission sales to rate increase to cover increasing costs, these dividend stocks are making moves to make the most of your money. Here's what you need to know.

Subsidiary switch-up
AGL Resources�announced Thursday that it has officially handed off subsidiary Compass Energy Services to Integrys Energy (NYSE: TEG  ) for an initial cash consideration of $12 million, with an additional $3 million to $8 million cash consideration. If the unregulated natural gas subsidiary fares well over the next five years, Integrys will fork over more finances for its purchase. If not, AGL could be left with $15 million total for the sale. For now, AGL will record a $9 million to $11 million pre-tax gain for Q2 2013.

AGL and Integrys aren't the only utilities switching around subsidiaries. Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK  ) completed its purchase of a 72% stake in Atlantic Power's (NYSE: AT  ) Path 15 transmission project. The 84-mile line connects Northern and Southern California's transmission grids and, according to Duke, plays "a key role in maintaining statewide electric system reliability and market efficiency."

5 Best Beverage Stocks To Buy Right Now: Atlas Resource Partners LP (ARP)

Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. (Atlas Resource Partners), incorporated on October 13, 2011, is an independent developer and producer of natural gas, crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL), with operations in basins across the United States. The Company is a sponsor and manager of investment partnerships, in which it co-invests, to finance a portion of its natural gas and oil production activities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, its average daily net production was approximately 77.2 million cubic feet equivalent. On December 20, 2012, it completed the acquisition of DTE Gas Resources, LLC from DTE Energy Company. On September 24, 2012, the Company acquired Equal Energy, Ltd.�� (Equal) remaining 50% interest in approximately 8,500 net undeveloped acres included in the joint venture. On July 26, 2012, it completed the acquisition of Titan Operating, L.L.C. On April 30, 2012, it acquired certain oil and natural gas assets from Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc. In April 2012, it acquired a 50% interest in approximately 14,500 net undeveloped acres in the oil and NGL area of the Mississippi Lime play in northwestern Oklahoma.

Through December 31, 2012, the Company owned production positions in the areas of the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play in the Fort Worth Basin in northern Texas; the Appalachia basin, including the Marcellus Shale and the Utica Shale; the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma, and the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana and the Antrim Shale in Michigan. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 525 wells in the Barnett Shale and Marble Falls play and 569.3 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 31.9 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, the Company had ownership interests in over 10,200 wells in the Appalachian basin, including approximately 270 wells in the Marcellus Shale and 1! 12.6 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 35.6 million cubic feet equivalent. During 2012, it owned 21 billion cubic feet equivalent of total proved reserves with average daily production of 1.9 million cubic feet equivalent in the Mississippi Lime and Hunton plays in northwestern Oklahoma. During 2012, the Company had average daily production of 7.8 million cubic feet equivalent in the Chattanooga Shale in northeastern Tennessee, the Niobrara Shale in northeastern Colorado, the New Albany Shale in southwestern Indiana, and the Antrim Shale in Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Hogue]

  Atlas Resource Partners (NYSE: ARP  ) offers the lowest cost to DCF and the second-highest yield of the group. The company is active in the Barnett Shale, Appalachian Basin, the Raton Basin, the Black Warrior Basin and the Mississippi Lime with an interest in over 12,000 producing natural gas and oil wells. The partnership's coverage ratio just missed a top rank as well, and the units could be a solid addition. May saw insider purchases by four officers for 52,530 units at an average price of $19.73 per unit with no insider selling in the past twelve months.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The second, and riskier, option is to buy MLPs engaged in natural gas production. While these tend to have some portion of their output hedged against sharp price fluctuations, they retain much more exposure to the ups and downs of natural gas prices than the midstream partnerships, which function as toll collectors.�EV Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: EVEP),�Atlas Resource Partners�(NYSE: ARP),�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Memorial Production Partners�(NASDAQ: MEMP) are some of the upstream (oil and gas production) partnerships in the US shale plays.

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Awilco Drilling PLC (AWLCF)

Awilco Drilling PLC is a United Kingdom-based drilling contractor. The Company�� principal business is to own offshore drilling rigs for use in offshore drilling for oil and gas, and to provide drilling services for oil and gas companies using these rigs. The Company operates two semi-submersible drilling rigs: WilHunter, previously Arctic IV and WilPhoenix, previously Arctic II. As of December 31, 2011, the Company wholly owned five subsidiaries, namely WilPhoenix (UK) Ltd, WilHunter (UK) Ltd, WilPhoenix (Malta) Ltd, WilHunter (Malta) Ltd and the Singapore-based Awilco Drilling Pte Ltd. As of December 31, 2011, Awilco Drilling AS was the Company's largest shareholder and controlled 49% shares. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  We expect Caledonia to generate close to $600M in EBITDA. While RIGs mid-water OPEX has averaged about $125k/d we expect it to be lower at Caledonia. 2015 Consensus EBITDA for RIG is ~$3B which means 20% of RIGs 2015 EBITDA comes from the rigs that will become Caledonia. The problem (in a bear market) is that companies with lower end rigs trade at a discount ��just ask Awilco (AWLCF), Fred Olsen Energy, and Paragon Offshore (PGN) which trade at an average multiple of 3.3x on 2015 EBITDA versus RIG which trades at 6.3x.

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Santos Ltd (STOSF)

Santos Limited is an oil and gas producer, supplying Australian and Asian customers. The Company is primarily engaged in the exploration for, and development, production, transportation and marketing of, hydrocarbons. The Company develops major oil and gas liquids businesses in Australia, and operates in all mainland states and the Northern Territory. The Company has exploration-led Asian portfolio, with a focus on three core countries: Indonesia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. The Company operates in four business units of Eastern Australia; Western Australia and Northern Territory; Asia Pacific, and Gladstone LNG (GLNG). The Asia Pacific operating segment includes operations in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks fell early Wednesday, tracking a weak lead from the U.S. but with a few blue-chip miners higher after gains for some commodities overnight. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) retreated 0.4% to 5,237.80 after similar losses for the main Wall Street indexes, with the Australian benchmark trading around its lowest level since October. Among the major decliners, Qantas Airways Ltd. (AU:QAN) (QUBSF) lost 2.5%, Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. (AU:HVN) (HNORY) gave up 1.3%, and Incitec Pivot Ltd. (AU:IPL) (ICPVY) fell 1.8%. Santos Ltd. (AU:STO) (STOSF) fell 2.6% on indication it will miss its lowered production guidance for 2013, according to the Australian Financial Review. On the upside, top miners BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively, while Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) traded 1% higher. Shares of global shopping-mall developer Westfield Group Australia (AU:WDC) (WEFIF) were on halt

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Halcon Resources Corp (HK)

Halcon Resources Corporation (Halcon Resources), incorporated on February 5, 2004, is an independent energy company focused on the acquisition, production, exploration and development of onshore liquids-rich oil and natural gas assets in the United States. The Company has oil and natural gas reserves located primarily in Texas, North Dakota, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Montana. On August 1, 2012, the Company acquired GeoResources by merger. On December 6, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of entities owning approximately 81,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations primarily located in Williams, Mountrail, McKenzie and Dunn Counties, North Dakota (the Williston Basin Assets), from Petro-Hunt, L.L.C. and Pillar Energy, LLC (the Petro-Hunt parties). As of December 31, 2012, the Company has working interests in approximately 128,000 net acres prospective for the Bakken / Three Forks formations in North Dakota and Montana.

The Company�� Woodbine / Eagle Ford acreage is prospective for the Woodbine, Eagle Ford and other formations, with targeted depths ranging anywhere from 7,000 feet to 10,400 feet. As of December 31, 2012, The Company has approximately 198,000 net acres leased or under contract primarily in Leon, Madison, Grimes, Brazos, and Polk Counties, Texas. The Company is the operator and has a 100% working interest in more than 12,000 net acres in Wichita and Wilbarger Counties, Texas that it is actively water flooding in shallow Cisco aged Pennsylvania sandstone and limestone reservoirs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company produced 484 million barrels of oil equivalent from approximately 700 active producing wells and approximately 230 active water injection wells.

The Company�� position in the La Copita Field covers 3,720 gross acres and 2,829 net acres in Starr County, Texas. As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� average net daily production was 623 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Company operates 100% of this production a! nd its working interest ranges from 75% to 100%. The Company has various other oil and natural gas properties with varying working interests located across the United States, including the Austin Chalk Trend and Eagle Ford Shale in Texas, the Fitts-Allen Fields in Central Oklahoma, and various other areas across South Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, and West Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  A) Halcon Resources (HK) is a US-based oil-weighted producer. I was bearish on Halcon at $8 when I shorted it, for the reasons mentioned here. I also noted then that the traders and the speculators pushed Halcon to an outrageous overvaluation at $8.

• [By Joel South and Taylor Muckerman]

  In this video, Motley Fool energy analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman look at Halcon (NYSE: HK  ) , one E&P company that was hit hard yesterday, as GDP news out of China meant commodities were dealt a painful blow across the board. Joel tells us about some of this company's upcoming expansion efforts and why he loves them overall, and why the sell-off this week could be a great time to buy.

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Lehigh Gas Partners LP (LGP)

Lehigh Gas Partners LP, incorporated on December 2, 2011, is engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, consisting of gasoline and diesel fuel, and to own and lease real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. It generates revenues from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels to gas stations, truck stops and toll road plazas, which it refers to as sites, and from real estate leases. It generates cash flows from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels by charging a per gallon margin. Its supply agreements with lessee dealers have three-year terms, and its supply agreements with independent dealers generally have 10-year terms. In May 2011, the Company acquired from Motiva Enterprises, LLC (Motiva) a total of 26 Shell Oil Company branded gas stations and convenience stores (Shell Locations) located in New Jersey and also acquired 56 wholesale fuel supply agreements. In September 2013, the Company announced that it has completed asset acquisition in the Knoxville, Tennessee region from Rocky Top Markets, LLC and Rocky Top Properties, LLC.

The Company generates cash flows from rental income by collecting rent from lessee dealers and Lehigh Gas-Ohio, LLC (LGO) pursuant to lease agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuels to 570 sites. In addition, it has agreements requiring the operators of these sites to purchase motor fuels from it. As of December 31, 2011, it distributed motor fuels to the classes of businesses, including 185 independent dealers; 181 sites owned or leased by it and that will be operated by LGO following the closing of this offering; 134 sites owned or leased by it and operated by lessee dealers; and 70 sites distributed through six sub-wholesalers. In May 2012, the Company entered into a master lease agreement to lease 120 sites from an affiliate of Getty Realty Corp. Of the 120 sites, 74 are located in Massachusetts, 22 are located in New Hampshire, 15 are located in Pen! nsylvania and nine are located in Maine. The Company is focused on owning and leasing sites located in metropolitan and urban areas. It owns and leases sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Maine.

Wholesale Motor Fuel Distribution

The Company purchases branded and unbranded motor fuel from integrated oil companies, refiners and unbranded fuel suppliers. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers, independent dealers, LGO and sub-wholesalers. The Company is a distributor of brands of motor fuel, as well as unbranded motor fuel. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuel. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers and independent dealers under supply agreements. It provides credit terms to its lessee dealers and independent dealers, which are generally one to three days.

The Company distributes motor fuel to sub-wholesalers under supply agreements. Under its supply agreements, it agrees to supply a particular branded motor fuel or unbranded motor fuel to the sub-wholesaler. Motor fuels are sold to the sub-wholesalers at rack plus. It provides credit terms to its sub-wholesalers, which are one to three days. Branded motor fuels are purchased from integrated oil companies and refiners under supply agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its wholesale business purchased approximately 46%, 23%, 22% and 5% of its motor fuel from ExxonMobil, BP Products North America, Inc. (BP), Shell Oil Company (Shell) and Valero respectively.

Real Estate

The Company owns or lease 315 sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Kentucky. 186 of the sites it owns fee simple and 107 sites it leases from third-party landlords. Over 90% of its sites are located in metropolitan and urban areas. It derives its rental income from sites it owns or leases. It collects rent from the lessee dealers and! LGO purs! uant to lease agreements it has with the lessee dealers and LGO. All of its 186 owned sites are leased to lessee dealers or LGO. Its leases with the lessee dealers have three year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for owned sites it leases to lessee dealers was 1.8 years. As of December 31, 2011, it also leased 98 sites from third-parties and then sub-leased these sites to lessee dealers and LGO. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for sites it leases from third-parties was 7.5 years. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. The average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers is 4.2 years.

The rental income the Company earns from sites it owns or leases include rental income associated with the personal property located on these sites, such as motor fuel pumps. It sells sites, which it owns and then leases the sites back from the buyer. It refers to these transactions as sale-leasebacks. In these sale-leaseback transactions, it retains the environmental liabilities associated with the site. As of December 11, 2012, the Company leased 22 sale-leaseback sites. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term of these sale-leaseback sites was 17.5 years. It sub-leases its sale-leaseback sites to lessee dealers and LGO. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers was 2.1 years. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 186 sites.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ali Berri]

  Lehigh Gas Partners LP (NYSE: LGP) shares shot up 24.13 percent to $32.25 after CST Brands (NYSE: CST) announced its plans to acquire Lehigh Gas GP LLC, the general partner of Lehigh Gas Partners LP. Lehigh Gas Partners also reported its financial results for the second quarter.
  

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: OriginOil Inc (OOIL)

OriginOil, Inc., incorporated on June 1, 2007, is a technology company. The Company is primarily involved in research and development activities, and sales of pilot and demonstration equipment. The Company has developed an energy production process for harvesting algae and cleaning up oil and gas water. To develop the energy and ancillary markets, the Company sells smaller-scale equipment, such as the Algae Appliance. The Company�� process, CLEAN-FRAC, represents a generation of water treatment that is chemical free. The Company's water cleanup technology, Electro Water Separation (EWS), is a chemical-free process that extracts organic contaminants from large quantities of water. Its products include EWS Algae, EWS Algae A4, EWS Algae A60, EWS Algae A200, EWS Petro P160, and EWS Aqua Q60.

The Company intends to embed its technology into larger systems through licensing and joint ventures. The Company is in the process of pursuing secondary licensing opportunities outside of energy, including aquaculture. EWS Algae A4 is an entry-level algae harvester designed to make it easier and faster for producers and researchers to try and buy the Company's harvesting technology. EWS Algae A60 is a pilot scale algae harvester providing a low energy, chemical-free, continuous flow wet harvest system to dewater and concentrate the microalgae. EWS Petro Model 160 is designed to remove organics, such as crude oil, and suspended solids and bacteria from process water, such as produced or frac flowback water at a continuous flow rate of one barrel per minute or 160 liters per minute in continuous, chemical free operation. EWS Aqua Q60 is a commercial fish farming pond water treatment system, designed to clean pond water of ammonia, bacteria and aquatic animal pathogens in a continuous loop.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, OOIL�has shed (-3.12%) down -0.01 at $.31 with 95,929 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 2:04PM�EDT October 15, 2013).

  OriginOil, Inc. previously reported it has signed its first pay-per-barrel agreement with Industrial Systems, Inc. (ISI) for a water treatment system integrating OriginOil�� process as the first stage of treatment.

  Delta, Colorado-based ISI has agreed that it will operate the Model P160 as part of its overall frac flowback water cleanup service, and pay OriginOil a fee for each barrel processed.

10 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Pacific Drilling SA (PACD)

Pacific Drilling S.A., incorporated on March 22, 2011, is an international offshore drilling Company. The Company is a provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification drilling rigs. The Company�� primary business is to contract its ultra-deepwater drilling rigs, related equipment and work crews, primarily on a dayrate basis, to drill wells for its customers. The Company is primarily focused on the ultra-deepwater market. The Company generally consider ultra-deepwater to begin at water depths of more than 7,500 feet and to extend to the maximum water depths, in which rigs are capable of drilling, which is approximately 12,000 feet.

The Company operates four drillships and has four drillships under construction, two of which are under customer contract. In connection with the Restructuring, the Company�� Predecessor was contributed to a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company by a subsidiary of Quantum Pacific International Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Land drillers / pressure pumpers may be approaching valuation support levels and could be triggered to consolidate if current weakness persists. The theme could nevertheless be premature in offshore drilling as larger players (Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO)/Transocean/Seadrill) are still addressing dividend concerns while smaller companies (Atwood Oceanics (ATW)/Pacific Drilling (PACD)) still trade close to replacement value.

• [By David Smith]

  Chevron has been working hand-in-glove in implementing DGD with offshore rig operator Pacific Drilling (NYSE: PACD  ) . Pacific's drillship Pacific Santa Ana was specifically built to Chevron's DGD-enhancing specifications and is working for the big company in the Gulf of Mexico.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Management recently announced a hefty 50% hike in its quarterly dividend to 37.5 cents per share of NE stock. And with a 4.8% dividend yield, NE stock is now one of the best-paying dividend stocks in the energy sector.

  Dividend Stocks To Buy #5 — Pacific Drilling (PACD)

  Estimated Dividend Yield: 6.5%

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Pacific Drilling (PACD) is an international offshore drilling contractor committed to becoming the preferred provider of ultra-deepwater drilling services to the oil and natural gas industry through the use of high-specification rigs. This stock closed up 1% to $9.94 in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Range: $9.87-$10.00
  
  52-Week Range: $8.63-$10.99
  
  Thursday's Volume: 450,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 308,772

  From a technical perspective, PACD bounced modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $9.67 with above-average volume. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last five months, with shares moving between $8.89 on the downside and $10.23 on the upside. Shares of PACD are now starting to trend within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That trade will hit if PACD manages to take out some key overhead resistance levels at $10.14 to $10.23 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PACD as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $9.81 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 308,772 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PACD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $10.71 to its 52-week high at $10.99. Any high-volume move above $10.99 will then put its all-time high at $11.47 within range for shares of PACD.

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014

From the Editor: Michael's "$1 Million Giveaway" starts at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow. So if you haven't registered for his free, members-only webinar, click here. And get ready to hear about an incredible ground-floor tech opportunity. In the meantime, here's why Michael is so willing to share his research with us...

So far this year, the average technology IPO has gained some 60% from its offering price, handing investors hundreds of millions in new wealth.

Of course, by just about any standard, that's a pretty impressive accomplishment in its own right.

But in my world, the world of Silicon Valley venture capitalists, 60% gains are a nice way to get started on the road to lasting wealth.

The truth is, when it comes to achieving the kind of life-changing gains most people only dream about, high-tech is the one area that investors can consistently count on over the long haul.

Just look at the hundreds of billions in new wealth created by the transistor, the Space Race, semiconductors, personal computers, the Internet, smartphones, and new biotech molecules.

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies For 2015: Tokyo Electron Ltd (TOELY.PK)

Tokyo Electron Limited is a company mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of electronic products for industrial uses. The Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment, Flat-panel Display (FPD) and Photovoltaic Cell (PV) Manufacturing Equipment segment provides coaters and developers for wafer processing, plasma etching equipment, thermal processing systems, single wafer deposition systems, cleaning systems, coaters and developers for FPD manufacturing, ashing devices and plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) devices. The Electronic Component and Information Communication Equipment segment designs, develops, purchases and sells semiconductor products such as integrated circuits (ICs), computer and network equipment and software. The Others segment involves in logistics, facility management and insurance businesses. On April 1, 2013, it merged with two subsidiaries. In January 2014, the Company established TEL-Applied Holdings B.V. and a Japan-based company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephen Simpson, CFA]

  Ultratech isn't the only game in town, though, and there are multiple technologies and process steps that are going to play significant roles in the production of FinFETs and 3D circuits. With that, I would take a look at Mattson Technologies (MTSN), as this company has already accomplished the not-so-easy task of gaining meaningful share in the dry strip, rapid thermal processing (RTP), and etch markets despite competing with giants like Lam Research (LRCX), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Tokyo Electron (TOELY.PK).

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014: Intel Corporation(INTC)

Intel Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of integrated circuits for computing and communications industries worldwide. It offers microprocessor products used in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, servers, workstations, storage products, embedded applications, communications products, consumer electronics devices, and handhelds. The company also provides system on chip products that integrate its core processing functionalities with other system components, such as graphics, audio, and video, onto a single chip. In addition, it offers chipset products that send data between the microprocessor and input, display, and storage devices, including keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD, DVD, or Blu-ray drives; motherboards designed for desktop, server, and workstation platforms, and that has connectors for attaching devices to the bus; and wired and wireless connectivity products consisting of network adapters and embedded wireless cards used to translate and transmit data across networks. Further, the company provides NAND flash memory products primarily used in portable memory storage devices, digital camera memory cards, and solid-state drives; software products comprising operating systems, middleware, and tools used to develop, run, and manage various enterprise, consumer, embedded, and handheld devices; and software development tools that enable the creation of applications. Additionally, it develops computing platforms, which are integrated hardware and software computing technologies designed to offer an optimized solution. The company sells its products principally to original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, PC components and other products users, and other manufacturers of industrial and communications equipment. It has a strategic alliance with Scientific Conservation Inc. Intel Corporation was founded in 1968 and is based in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sneha Shah]

  Microsoft (MSFT) has been desperate to win a greater share of the mobile devices market as the computing industry migrates to smaller form factors. The PC market is starting to decline at a greater pace leading to huge problems for MSFT, which gets the majority of its revenues by selling OS and Office software to the PC market where it has a monopoly. MSFT launched Surface tablets last year to increase its penetration into this fast growing category. The company launched two variants - Surface Pro and Surface RT. The Surface Pro tablet ran on Intel (INTC) processors and worked on MSFT's traditional OS. The Surface RT on the other hand ran on ARM designed processors and ran a variant of Windows, which had some features missing. These products proved to be a massive failure as the pricing was too high and the performance was not as good. The Surface RT was a big disaster as it did not have MSFT's killer applications such as Outlook. Nvidia (NVDA) CEO said that the lack of Outlook was one of the main reasons for the failure of the Tegra 3 powered tablets. The company had to write down $900 million because of this failure. This was not a huge surprise given that MSFT's forays into the hardware market have been mostly unsuccessful. Major PC OEM's such as Samsung, Lenovo and now Asustek have also abandoned the Windows RT products. They don't see a bright future and would rather go with Intel-powered Windows products. Though MSFT seems to be prepping up a second-generation Surface RT tablet, the prospects do not seem too bright given MSFT's past track record.

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014: Dialog Semiconductor PLC (DLG)

Dialog Semiconductor Plc creates integrated, mixed signal integrated circuits (ICs), optimized for personal portable, short-range wireless, lighting, display and automotive applications. The Company operates in three business segments: Mobile Systems, Automotive and Industrial, and Connectivity. The Mobile Systems segment includes its power management and audio chips especially designed to meet the needs of the wireless systems markets and a range of advanced driver technologies for low power display applications - from Passive Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diodes (PMOLEDs), to electronic paper and Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) displays. The Automotive and Industrial segment consists of products, which address the safety, management and control of electronic systems in cars and for industrial applications. The Connectivity segment includes activities, such as short-range wireless, digital cordless and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) technology. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Direct Line (DLG) dropped 2.5 percent to 212.6 pence. RBS sold 300 million shares at 210 pence apiece in its third sale of a stake in the insurance company, according to a statement. The bank, which is majority owned by the U.K. government, reduced its holding in Direct Line by 20 percent to 28.5 percent. RBS slipped 1.3 percent to 364.1 pence.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Dialog Semiconductor Plc (DLG) surged 6.5 percent to 12.55 euros, its highest price in two months, after Apple Inc. (AAPL), the company�� biggest customer, reported fiscal third-quarter revenue and iPhone sales that beat analysts��estimates.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Colruyt SA jumped the most in almost a year after reporting earnings that beat estimates. Direct Line Insurance Group Plc (DLG), the U.K.�� biggest home and motor insurer, rallied 3.8 percent after saying it will cut jobs. GSW Immobilien AG, Berlin�� largest residential landlord by market value, advanced 3.8 percent after saying both its chairman and chief executive officer will leave. Mining companies declined as metals fell.

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSM)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan-based company principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture and distribution of integrated circuit (IC) related products. The Company operates its businesses through wafer manufacture, mask production, wafer testing and packaging components. The Company also involves in the provision of production management, customer services and design services. Its products and services are applied in the manufacture of personal computers and peripheral products, information related products, wire and wireless communication systems, automobile and industrial equipment, as well as consumer electronic products, such as digital disk players, digital televisions (TVs), game consoles, digital cameras, among others. Its customers include Altera, AMD, Broadcom, Marvell, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Analog Devices, Freescale, NXP and Texas Instruments, among others. In July 2010, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. acquired mechanical and engineering equipment from ASML HONG KONG LTD. In September 2010, the Company acquired a set of equipments from ASML HONG KONG LTD. In December 2010, the Company acquired a set of equipment from TOKYO ELECTRON LTD., KLA-TENCOR CORP. and NOVELLUS SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL,B.V. In January 2011, the Company announced that it had acquired a set of equipment from KLA-TENCOR CORP., a set of equipment and facility, and another set of equipment from VARIAN SEMI. EQUIP. ASSOCIATES GmbH. In March 2011, the Company acquired a set of equipments from Rudolph Technologies, Inc.In March 2011, the Company acquired a set of equipments from Rudolph Technologies, Inc. In May 2011, it acquired a set of equipments form APPLIED MATERIALS SOUTH EAST ASIA PACIFIC LTD., Hamatech APE Gmbh and CO. KG, TOKYO ELECTRON LTD., DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD., and VARIAN SEMI. EQUIP. ASSOCIATES GMBH.

TSMC's customers include semiconductor companies, ranging from fabless semiconductor and systems companies, such as Advanced Micro Devices, In! c., Altera Corporation, Broadcom Corporation, Marvell Semiconductor Inc., MediaTek Inc., nVidia Corporation and Qualcomm Incorporated, to integrated device manufacturers, such as LSI Corporation, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments Inc. Fabless semiconductor and system companies accounted for approximately 80%, and integrated device manufacturers accounted for approximately 20% of its net sales as of December 31, 2009.

The Company manufactures semiconductors using CMOS and BiCMOS processes. The BiCMOS process combines the speed of the bipolar circuitry and the power consumption and density of the CMOS circuitry. It uses the CMOS process to manufacture logic semiconductors, memory semiconductors, including static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory, mixed-signal/ radio frequency (RF) semiconductors, which combine analog and digital circuitry in a single semiconductor, micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS), which combines micrometer featured mechanical parts, analog and digital circuitry in a single semiconductor, and embedded memory semiconductors, which combine logic and memory in a single semiconductor. The BiCMOS process is used to make high-end mixed-signal and other types of semiconductors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ashraf Eassa]

  Is the tide turning?
  According to Digitimes, chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM  ) , or TSMC, has apparently begun to see an uptick in orders from PC-levered names such as AMD (NYSE: AMD  ) and NVIDIA. (Intel builds its chips at its own manufacturing plants). While this is mildly positive for TSMC, which is also levered to the fast-growing mobile markets, it could end up being very positive for Intel and the PC-levered names in general.

• [By Steve Heller]

  But you know what's really profitable? Being a foundry to other chip makers -- exactly how Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM  ) makes a living.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  The Korea Times is reporting that�Apple� (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) has cut Samsung out of producing its next-generation A7 chip. The Mac maker continues to diversify its component supplier base away from Samsung. Apple has already begun moving display sourcing to�LG Display� (NYSE: LPL  ) . The A7 business is reportedly going to�Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing� (NYSE: TSM  ) and its 20-nanometer process. The transition could hurt Samsung, since it would be left with excess unused. Samsung has supposedly been trying to grow its business with�NVIDIA� (NASDAQ: NVDA  ) to mitigate the risk of losing some Apple business.

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014: Xilinx Inc (XLNX)

Xilinx, Inc. (Xilinx), incorporated on February 5, 1984, designs, develops and markets programmable platforms. These programmable platforms have a number of components, including integrated circuits (ICs) in the form of programmable logic devices (PLDs), including Extensible Processing Platforms (EPPs); software design tools to program the PLDs; targeted reference designs; printed circuit boards, and intellectual property (IP), which consists of Xilinx and various third-party verification and IP cores. In addition to its programmable platforms, Xilinx provides design services, customer training, field engineering and technical support. The Company�� PLDs include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) that its customers program to perform logic functions, and EPPs. Xilinx�� products are offered to electronic equipment manufacturers in end markets, such as wired and wireless communications, industrial, scientific and medical, aerospace and defense, audio, video and broadcast, consumer, automotive and data processing. The Company sells its products globally through independent domestic and foreign distributors and through direct sales to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by a network of independent sales representative firms and by a direct sales management organization. In January 2011, the Company acquired AutoESL Design Technologies, Inc. In August 2012, the Company acquired embedded Linux solutions provider PetaLogix.

Product Families

The 7 series devices that comprise the Company�� 28-nanometer (nm) product families are fabricated on a high-K metal gate 28-nm process technology. These devices are based on an architecture, which enables design and IP portability and re-use across all families, as well as provides designers the ability to achieve the appropriate combination of I/O support, performance, feature quantities, packaging and power consumption to address a range of applications. The 7 series devices consist of! three families: Virtex-7 FPGA, Kintex-7 FPGAs and Artix-7 FPGAs. The Zynq-7000 family is the family of Xilinx EPPs. The Virtex-6 FPGA family consists of 13 devices and is the sixth generation in the Virtex series of FPGAs.

Virtex-6 FPGAs are fabricated on a high-performance, 40-nm process technology. There are three Virtex-6 families: Virtex-6 LXT FPGAs, Virtex-6 SXT FPGAs and Virtex-6 HXT FPGAs. The Spartan-6 family is the PLD industry�� 45-nm high-volume FPGA family, consisting of 11 devices in two product families: Spartan-6 LX FPGAs and Spartan-6 LXT FPGAs. The Virtex-5 FPGA family consists of 26 devices in five product families: Virtex-5 LX FPGAs for logic-intensive designs, Virtex-5 LXT FPGAs for high-performance logic with serial connectivity, Virtex-5 SXT FPGAs for high-performance DSP with serial connectivity, Virtex-5 FXT FPGAs for embedded processing with serial connectivity and Virtex-5 TXT FPGAs for high-bandwidth serial connectivity. Prior generation Virtex families include Virtex-4, Virtex-II Pro, Virtex-II, Virtex-E and the original Virtex family. Spartan family FPGAs include 90-nm Spartan-3 FPGAs, the Spartan-3E family and the Spartan-3A family. Prior generation Spartan families include Spartan-IIE, Spartan-II, Spartan XL and the original Spartan family.

Design Platforms and Services

The Company offers three types of programmable platforms. The Base Platform is the delivery vehicle for all of its new silicon offerings used to develop and run customer-specific software applications and hardware designs. The Base Platform consists of FPGA silicon; Integrated Software Environment (ISE) Design Suite design environment; integration support of optional third-party synthesis, simulation, and signal integrity tools; reference designs; development boards and IP. The Domain-Specific Platform targets one of the three primary Xilinx FPGA user profiles: the embedded processing developer; the DSP developer; or the logic/connectivity developer. The Market-S! pecific P! latform enables software or hardware developers to build and run their specific application or solution. Built for specific markets, such as automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications, audio, video and broadcast, industrial, or scientific and medical, the Market-Specific Platform integrates both the Base and Domain-Specific Platforms.

During April 2012, Xilinx introduced the Vivado Design Suite. Vivado supports Xilinx 7 series FPGAs and Zynq EPPs. Xilinx and various third parties offer hundreds of no charge and fee-bearing IP core licenses covering Ethernet, memory controllers Interlaken and PCIe interface, as well as domain-specific IP in the areas of embedded, DSP and connectivity, and market-specific IP cores. The Company also offers development kits, including hardware, design tools, IP and reference designs. Xilinx offers a range of configuration products, including one-time programmable and in-system programmable storage devices to configure Xilinx FPGAs. These programmable read-only memory (PROM) products support all of the Company�� FPGA devices. Xilinx and certain third parties have developed and offer a ecosystem of IP, boards, tools, services and support through the Xilinx alliance program. Xilinx also works with these third parties to promote its programmable platforms through third-party tools, IP, software, boards and design services. Xilinx engineering services provide customers with engineering, ranging from hands-on training to full design creation and implementation.

The Company competes with Altera Corporation, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation and Microsemi Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) fell 12.15% to $42.30 in pre-market trading after the company reported downbeat Q1 revenue and issued a weak Q2 revenue forecast. BMO Capital downgraded Xilinx from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered the price target from $60.00 to $42.00.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) dipped 3.03% to $46.10 after the company issued a weak current-quarter revenue outlook.

  Posted-In: PreMarket LosersNews Movers & Shakers Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Xilinx Inc. (XLNX) �shares dropped 4.3% to $44.90 on moderate volume after the company reported fiscal second-quarter earnings.

• [By Tom Rojas and Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Xilinx Inc.(XLNX) reported that revenue rose 5.8% in its fiscal first quarter, but it missed expectations as the chip maker was hit by weaker-than-anticipated sales in its defense and wireless businesses. Shares fell 13% to $41.90 premarket.

Best Semiconductor Companies For 2014: ARM Holdings PLC (ARMH)

ARM Holdings plc (ARM), incorporated on October 16, 1990, designs microprocessors, physical intellectual property (IP) and related technology and software, and sells development tools. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated in three business segments: the Processor Division (PD), the Physical IP Division (PIPD) and the System Design Division (SDD). ARM licenses and sells its technology and products to international electronics companies, which in turn manufacture, markets and sells microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application-specific standard processors (ASSPs) based on ARM�� technology to systems companies for incorporation into a range of end products. It also licenses and sells development tools directly to systems companies and provides support services to its licensees, systems companies and other systems designers.

ARM processor architecture and physical IP is used in embedded microprocessor applications, including cellular phones, digital televisions, mobile computers and personal computer peripherals, smart cards and microcontrollers. ARM�� principal geographic markets are Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. ARM�� product offering includes microprocessor Cores: RISC microprocessor cores, including specific functions, such as video and graphics IP and on-chip fabric IP; embedded software; physical IP; development tools, and support and maintenance services.

Processor Division

The PD encompasses those resources that are centered on microprocessor cores, including specific functions, such as graphics IP, fabric IP, embedded software IP and configurable digital signal processing (DSP) IP. Service revenues consist of design consulting services and revenues from support, maintenance and training.

Physical IP Division

The PIPD is focused on building blocks for translation of a circuit design into actual silicon. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company�� total av! erage PIPD headcount was 557. ARM is a provider of physical IP components for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits, including systems-on-chip (SoCs). ARM Artisan physical IP products include embedded memory, standard cell and input/output components. Artisan physical IP also includes a limited portfolio of analog and mixed-signal products. ARM�� physical IP components are developed for a range of process geometries ranging from 20 nanometer - 250 nanometer. ARM licenses its products to customers for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits used in complex, high-volume applications, such as portable computing devices, communication systems, cellular phones, microcontrollers, consumer multimedia products, automotive electronics, personal computers and workstations and many others.

ARM�� embedded memory components include random access memories, read only memories and register files. These memories are provided in the form of a configurable memory compiler, which allows the customer to generate the appropriate configuration for the given application. ARM�� memory components include many configurable features, such as power-down modes, low-voltage data retention and fully static operation, as well as different transistor options to trade off performance and power. In addition, ARM�� memory components include built-in test interfaces that support the industry test methodologies and tools. ARM memory components also offer redundant storage elements.

ARM�� memory components are designed to enable the chip designer maximum flexibility to achieve the optimum power, performance, and density trade-off. ARM offers standard cell components that are optimized for high performance, high density or ultra high density. ARM logic products deliver optimal performance, power and area when building ARM Processors, Graphics, Video and Fabric IP along with general SoC subsystem implementation. ARM delivers physical interface for a range of DDR SDRAM (double-data rate s! ynchronou! s dynamic random-access memory) applications ranging from mission critical applications to low-power memory sub-systems. Silicon on Insulator (SOI) products is an alternative methodology to traditional semiconductor fabrication techniques.

System Design Division

The SDD is focused on the tools and models used to create and debug software and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. ARM�� software development tools help a software design engineer deliver products right the first time. Engineers use these tools in the design and deployment of code, from applications running on open operating systems right through to low-level firmware. The ARM Development Studio is a hardware components that allow the software designer to connect to a real target system and control the system for the purposes of finding errors in the software. The ARM DSTREAM unit allows the software developer to control the software running on the prototype product and examine the internal state of the prototype product. ARM Development Boards are ideal systems for prototyping ARM-based products. The ARM Microcontroller Development Kit supports ARM-based microcontrollers and 8051-based microcontrollers from companies, such as Analog Devices, Atmel, Freescale, Fujitsu, NXP, Samsung, Sharp, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Toshiba. The ARM Microcontroller Development Kit is used by developers who are building products and writing software using standard off-the-shelf microcontrollers.

The ARM Microprocessor Families

ARM architecture processors offers a range of performance options in the ARM7 family, ARM9 family, ARM11 family, ARM Cortex family and ARM SecurCore family. The ARM architecture gives systems designers a choice of processor cores at different performance/price points. The ARM7 offers 32-bit architecture capable of operating from 8/16-bit memory on an 8/16-bit bus through the implementation of the Thumb instruction set. The ARM9 family consists of a range of microprocessors in ! the 150-2! 50MHz range. Each processor has been designed for a specific application or function, such as an application processor for a feature phone or running a wireless fidelity (WiFi) protocol stack. The ARM9 family consists of a range of microprocessors in the 150-250 megahertz range. The ARM11 family consists of a range of microprocessors in the 300-600 megahertz range. ARM Cortex family is ARM�� family of processor cores based on version 7 of the ARM Architecture. The family is split into three series: A Series, A Series and M Series.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Kofi Bofah]

  The Apple A7 64-bit system-on-a-chip (SoC) line is based upon ARM (ARMH) architecture. Apple has designed its 1.3 GHz dual-core Cyclone CPU around the ARMv8-A instruction set. In terms of battery power, the A7 can run the iPhone 5S for 10 hours worth of 3G talk-time, and for 250 hours during stand-by mode. The Apple A7 chip is produced through a 28 nm manufacturing process at Samsung (SSNLF). The A7 gate pitch, or distance between each transistor, is now 114 nm, in comparison to the 123 nm mark of the A6 chip. Apple executives claim that the A7 is twice is fast as its A6 predecessor.

• [By Steve Heller]

  There's no beating around the bush here: Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) is the most advanced semiconductor manufacturer on the planet. The company believes its leading-edge capacity is its single greatest asset it can leverage against the competition. In the coming years, process nodes and transistors will continue shrinking, and investors are hoping that Intel's cutting-edge technology will let it gain considerable traction against ARM Holdings (NASDAQ: ARMH  ) designs. If successful, Intel has tremendous opportunities in both smartphones and tablets, which could translate to billions in new revenue streams for the company. However, the profitability of these endeavors remain unclear since Intel will have to compete more on price than its accustomed to in PC computing.

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  At Texas Instruments, revenue barely rose to $3.03 billion from $2.98 billion in the same quarter a year ago. The company blamed sales at its Embedded Processing business, although they grew slightly. TI has battled to get into newer consumer electronics devices. Arm Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: ARMH) and Intel have pressured TI’s sales in one of its largest segments.

• [By Volcano Steve]

  Arm Holdings (ARMH) shares dropped sharply post earnings last week. Commentators have attributed the drop to various aspects of the earnings release for example "guidance that disappointed", "concerns of smartphone slowdown" and one report even linking the stock drop to "solid performance".

Ex-Bank of America CFO to Pay $7.5M Fine to New York

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said Friday that former Bank of America (BAC) CFO Joe Price agreed to a $7.5 million fine and to be barred from serving as an officer or director of a public company for 18 months in order to settle the state’s lawsuit against him.

The deal concerns the bank’s actions in 2008 when it began its merger with Merrill Lynch.

According the attorney general’s office, “Despite its top executives’ specific knowledge of mounting losses at Merrill Lynch that were forecast at more than $9 billion, Bank of America failed to disclose that information to shareholders prior to their vote on the proposed merger,” it said in a press release.

Schneiderman also alleged former-BofA CEO Kenneth D. Lewis and Price “misrepresented to shareholders the impact that the merger with Merrill would have on Bank of America’s future earnings.”

5 Best Value Stocks To Watch For 2015

A month ago, Lewis agreed to a $10 million settlement with the attorney general, and BofA agreed to a $15 million settlement concerning Lewis’ actions during the merger. He is barred from work on public-company boards for three years.  

“This [Price] settlement is one more step in our effort to hold top financial executives accountable for their actions,” said Schneiderman, in a statement Friday.

“As with our settlement last month with CEO Ken Lewis, today’s action sends a message that conduct harming investors, shareholders, and the public will not go unpunished. I’m pleased to close the final chapter in our litigation over Bank of America’s merger with Merrill, and I will continue to hold individuals — as well as corporations — accountable for their actions,” the attorney general explained.

Bank of America declined to comment on the matter. 

Top 5 Internet Companies To Own For 2015

Top 5 Internet Companies To Own For 2015: CYNK Technology Corp (CYNK)

Cynk Technology Corp., formerly Introbuzz, Inc., is a development stage-company. The Company intends to develop a social network business. Social networks are Web based services that allow individuals to post a profile and link their profile to other friends and organizations.

The Company intends to develop a database of professional and other business persons, as well as other interested persons in providing and utilizing contacts. As of November 14, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  CYNK Technology (CYNK), the mysterious over-the-counter stock that at one point broke a $6 billion market cap, dropped roughly 80 percent in its first trades after a Securities and Exchange Commission halt. The SEC halted CYNK for two weeks following a massive rise in the stock's value -- it had been worth only a few cents per share in June, but it jumped above $21 on July 10. The Belize-based CYNK Technology supposedly operates a social networking site, but filings indicate it only has one employee and virtually no assets. Experts told CNBC the week of the SEC halt that they expected CYNK to fall precipitously after reopening, and its first day of trading is proving those predictions correct. When it was halted, the stock was worth just less than $14 per share, and is now below $3 a share after briefly hovering around $5 earlier Friday morning. An OTC Markets spokeswoman told Reuters that CYNK's shares were not trading on its platform, but were occurring over the phone. Earlier this week Reuters reported that OTC's CEO did not expect CYNK to trade on its platform at all after reopening, as no brokerages would file the required paperwork for the stock to trade on their exchanges. An SEC spokesman said that the organization cannot comment on the status of a company after a suspension period ends, citing an online explanation of the pr! ocess. That document notes that broker-dealers may not solicit investors to trade the previously suspended OTC stock until they satisfy several regulatory requirements. The SEC warned, however, that "unsolicited" trading may occur after a reopening -- as CYNK is now seeing -- but "even though such trading is allowed, it can be very risky for investors without current and reliable information about the company."

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-internet-companies-to-own-for-2015.html

Jeep fire recall can proceed as Feds close probe

The government's closing of an investigation into crash safety of older-model Jeeps clears the way for Chrysler Group to proceed with recall repairs.

The recall for risk that a rear-end crash could rupture the vehicles' gas tanks, causing fires, covers 1.6 million Jeep Cherokees from 1993 to 1998 and Jeep Libertys from 2002 to 2007. A trailer hitch will be added, if they don't already have one, to provide additional rear-crash protection.

NHTSA plans to issue a final report on its investigation in a few weeks. Amid an outcry from safety critics about the recall plan and proposed fix, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration took a closer look. It now has "no reservations" about Chrysler Group's plan, according to the Associated Press.

Though it had earlier balked at doing a recall, Chrysler praised the examination of the case in a statement: "Chrysler Group commends the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the diligence demonstrated over the course of this investigation. We share NHTSA's commitment to safety."

Critics aren't happy. In a statement in response to the NHTSA action, Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. said, "It is tragic that NHTSA approved Chrysler's sham trailer hitch recall for Jeeps that explode in rear impacts. The government is closing its investigation into older-model Jeeps with fuel tanks that could rupture and cause fires."

The case gained added attention because of the number of vehicles first requested to be recalled, 2.7 million, and Chrysler's initial refusal. It argued that there was no statistical proof that the Jeeps were more prone to fires after rear crashes than comparable vehicles from those years.

NHTSA's outgoing chief, David Strickland, agreed. He told the AP in an interview last month that Chrysler had convinced NHTSA that the Jeeps posed no significantly greater risk.

"Those vehicles performed at a rate similar to their peers. That is the keystone analysis as to whether! something poses an unreasonable risk to safety," Strickland is quoted as saying.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) dropped as much as 10% today, dragging the rest of the industry down with it. SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) dropped as much as 11% and SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) fell 7% in early trading.

So what: The driver today was First Solar's first-quarter earnings, which came in slightly lower than estimates. Revenue of $755 million beat the $725 million estimate, but earnings of $0.69 per share was $0.06 short of estimates.

Now what: The reaction by investors is puzzling to say the least. First Solar reiterated full-year guidance for 2013, which excited Wall Street just a month ago. It's also difficult to draw conclusions from a single quarter because First Solar gets most of its revenue from selling systems, which results in lumpy quarterly results.�

Top 10 India Companies To Own For 2015: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are JinkoSolar Holding Co.(JKS), Tyson Foods Inc.(TSN) and�AbbVie Inc.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Analysts are expecting JinkoSolar Holding Co (NYSE: JKS) to have earned $0.76 per share on revenue of $391.55 million in the second quarter. JinkoSolar shares gained 1.73% to $28.30 in after-hours trading.

• [By Sid Riggs]

  Companies such as Canadian Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: CSIQ), SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), Trina Solar Limited (ADR) (NYSE: TSL), JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd (NYSE: JKS), and Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YGE) have seen their shares explode 1,181%, 755%, 637%, 628%, and 420%, respectively, over the same time frame.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  JinkoSolar Holding (NYSE: JKS  ) reported earnings on June 7. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), JinkoSolar Holding beat expectations on revenues and exceeded expectations on earnings per share.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: Real Goods Solar Inc.(RSOL)

Real Goods Solar, Inc. operates as a residential and commercial solar energy integrator primarily in California and Colorado. The company provides engineering, procurement, and construction services. It offers various turnkey solar energy services, including design, procurement, permitting, build-out, grid connection, financing referrals, and warranty and customer satisfaction services. The company installs residential and small commercial systems that range between 3 kilowatts and 1 megawatt output. It also engages in the retail sale of renewable energy products. The company was founded in 1978 and is based in Louisville, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Last Thursday when I suggested American Community (OTCMKTS:ACYD) was a stock that should be shed immediately, and replaced with a position in Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL), I didn't win a lot of friends. After all, ACYD was the market's newest darling, in the middle of a red-hot runup, while RSOL was "just another solar name" that happened to be lucky enough to stumble its way above a key support line. Well, I hate to be the one to day I told you so, but, I told you so. American Community shares are down 35% since then, while Real Goods Solar shares are up 36% in the meantime. Both stocks seem pretty well entrenched in their current trends too.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap solar stock Andalay Solar Inc (OTCMKTS: WEST) has largely cratered for investors�verses solar stock peers Real Goods Solar, Inc (NASDAQ: RSOL) and SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ: SCTY), but is the company finally turning itself around after a failed deal to be acquired?

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  My enthusiasm regarding Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL) and Westinghouse Solar Inc. (OTCMKTS:WEST) hasn't exactly been a veiled secret. Though I've favored one over the other at various times since the entire solar panel industry went back into high gear in the middle of the second quarter, I've been a fan of both RSOL as well as WEST for a while. The trick has been finding the right entry spot for both of these volatile stocks.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Three weeks ago, I recommended Real Goods Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:RSOL) as a buy. Though the stock was still drifting in the shadow of a huge May pullback - from a high of $7.17 to a low of $2.13 by mid-June - RSOL was finding some support at key moving average lines, and even pushing up and off of them. Not many of you (and I'm using "you" interchangeably with "investors in general") seemed to care. So why am I looking at Real Goods Solar again now? Because, with competitors LDK Solar Co., Ltd (NYSE:LDK) and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE:SOL) seeing their shares surge today, odds are good RSOL is going to get swept up in that move. Real Goods Solar shares are a better bet, however, in that - unlike SOL and LDK - they aren't overbought yet.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) has faced similar problems from its vantage in the coal sector, with a 22% decline since this time last year leading to an 18% overall drop during the S&P 500's bull market. Low natural-gas prices in recent years have hurt the prospects for coal, especially domestically as utilities shift their electricity generation from coal-fired to gas-fired power plants. Export opportunities to Asia have given Peabody an advantage over its peers, though, as it has resources in Australia to provide shorter transport than U.S. companies with solely domestic production. Asia's appetite for coal is likely to continue, and Peabody is a natural way to take advantage of it.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Coal stocks Alpha Natural Resources (ANR), Arch Coal (ACI) and�Peabody Energy�(BTU) are soaring today following China’s strong GDP reading and CSX Corp’s (CSX) solid earnings. FBR’s Mitesh Thakkar isn’t feeling too optimistic heading into earnings, however:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  How bad have the losses been this year? Peabody Energy (BTU) is down 9.5% so far in 2014, while Arch Coal (ACI) is off 16%. Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) has plunged 48% and Walter Energy (WLT) had plummeted 66%.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Peabody Energy Corp. (NYSE: BTU) jumped more than 9% initially after the news of its earnings. This stock is up 4% at $20.85 in late-Monday trading. This would be the first time that Peabody would be staying over $20 as a stock since May. Drivers have been stronger demand in Europe and China and with lower production costs. These trends may vary widely from producer to producer, and we would be very leery of trusting that universally.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mani]

  [Related -First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) Q3 Earnings Preview: International Growth, Cost Improvements In Focus]

  Among the key developments in the fourth quarter, First Solar has signed power purchase agreements (PPA) with member cities of the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) for electricity to be generated at the 40 megawatt (MW) AC Kingbird photovoltaic solar power plant.

• [By Travis Hoium and Erin Miller]

  SunPower's (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) higher guidance has investors excited about solar stocks again, and even Chinese companies have dreams of making a profit. It's been a long road back for investors in solar stocks, but the clouds are lifting. With financial performance improving at leaders First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) and SunPower it may be time to get into the market. The Motley Fool's Erin Miller sat down with Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium to get the latest on the industry.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  The stock has serious momentum right now, and the trend is always your friend ��until it stabs you in the back. In the near term, First Solar is an OUTPERFORM. There could be a lot more room to run. However, there will likely be a steep correction in the stock price over the next one to two years due to declining demand.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: EMCORE Corporation(EMKR)

EMCORE Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optics, satellite, and solar power markets. The company operates in two segments, Fiber Optics and Photovoltaics. The Fiber Optics segment offers broadband products, including cable television, fiber-to-the-premises, satellite communication, video transport, and defense and homeland security products; and digital products comprising telecom optical, enterprise, laser/photodetector component, parallel optical transceiver and cable, and fiber channel transceiver products. This segment?s products enable information that is encoded on light signals to be transmitted, routed, and received in communication systems and networks. The Photovoltaics segment provides gallium arsenide (GaAs) multi-junction solar cells, covered interconnected cells, and solar panels for satellite applications; and concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) power systems for commercial and utility scale solar applications, as well as GaAs solar cells and integrated CPV components for use in other solar power concentrator systems. The company markets its products through its direct sales force, external sales representatives and distributors, and application engineers worldwide. EMCORE Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq:EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optic and solar power markets, reported that it is ramping production and shipping the Opticomm-EMCORE NEXTGEN OTP-1DVI2A1SU insert cards for the Optiva platform.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  EMCORE (EMKR), together with its subsidiaries, provides compound semiconductor-based products for the broadband, fiber optics, satellite, and solar power markets. This stock closed up 1% to $4.09 in Tuesday's trading session.

  Tuesday's Range: $4.00-$4.14
  52-Week Range: $3.50-$5.62
  Tuesday's Volume: 187,000
  Three-Month Average Volume: 103,744

  From a technical perspective, EMKR trended modestly higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $4.03 with above-average volume. This stock has been making higher lows over the last three months each time it has pulled back, which is a bullish technical sign. This spike to the upside on Tuesday is starting to push shares of EMKR within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if EMRK manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.16 to $4.20 and then above $4.22 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EMKR as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $3.90 to $3.86 or above more support at $3.78 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 103,744 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then EMKR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.53 to its 200-day moving average of $4.65, or even $5 to $5.30.

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: DAQQ New Energy Corp.(DQ)

Daqo New Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells polysilicon in China. The company sells its polysilicon to photovoltaic product manufacturers for use in the processing of ingots, wafers, cells and modules for solar power solutions. It also produces and sells mono-crystalline and multi-crystalline modules to photovoltaic system integrators and distributors in China and internationally under its Daqo brand. The company was formerly known as Mega Stand International Limited and changed its name to Daqo New Energy Corp. in August 2009. Daqo New Energy Corp. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered Wanzhou, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ) shares gained 12.78% to $33.58 on quarterly results.

  SINA (NASDAQ: SINA) rose 7.26% to $51.29 after the company reported upbeat quarterly results.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy shares dropped around 0.22 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), PDC Energy (NASDAQ: PDCE), and YPF SA (NYSE: YPF).

• [By Ali Berri]

  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.42 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ), up 9.4 percent, and Goodrich Petroleum (NYSE: GDP), up 6.2 percent.
  

Top 10 Solar Companies To Watch For 2014: Renesola Ltd.(SOL)

ReneSola Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar wafers and solar power products. It offers virgin polysilicons, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic cells and modules. The company also provides cell and module processing services. Its products are used in a range of residential, commercial, industrial, and other solar power generation systems. The company sells its solar wafers primarily to solar cell and module manufacturers. It principally operates in Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, and the United States. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Jiashan, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Vitran Corporation (NASDAQ: VTNC) announced today that it has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement with TransForce pursuant to which TransForce has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Vitran not already owned by TransForce for US$6.50 in cash per share, in accordance with TransForce's prior proposal. To read the full news, click here. ReneSola (NYSE: SOL) today announced it signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) to sell three utility-scale projects in Western China, with a total capacity of 60MW, to Jiangsu Akcome Solar Science & Technology Co on December 30, 2013. To read the full news, click here. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) today announced it has terminated the merger agreement with Apollo Tyres (NSE:ApolloTYRE). To read the full news, click here. RedHill Biopharma (NASDAQ: RDHL) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with leading healthcare investor OrbiMed Israel Partners Limited Partnership, an affiliate of OrbiMed Advisors LLC, for the sale of RedHill's American Depository Shares and warrants in a private placement transactionor a total sum of $6.0 million. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Guggenheim US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By John Kell var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]

  ReneSola Ltd.(SOL) said it is being probed as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s antidumping investigation of solar products imports. The Chinese solar-products company said it has temporarily stopped shipping products to the U.S. that fall within the scope of the probe and it intends to fully cooperate with the investigation proceedings. Shares dropped 3.6% to $3.78 premarket.

• [By Gary Bourgeault]

  Other companies of note that will be hurt will be LDK Solar (LDK), Suntech Power (STP), JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (JASO) and Renesola (SOL) among others. Some these are already hanging on by a thread because of taking on too much debt and defaulting on bonds.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Photovoltaic module and wafer manufacturer ReneSola (NYSE: SOL  ) has been contracted to�provide 7,200 250-watt high-efficiency polycrystalline solar PV modules for a project in Roswell, N.M.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014

U.S. stocks’ amazing run in 2013 raises the stakes for next year. Will markets keep rising, powered by steady economic growth and low interest rates, or will they take a breather after the Federal Reserve begins paring back economic stimulus?

That is the question on the minds of bullish and bearish investors alike as the year winds down. Friday’s 1.3% gain in the Dow Jones Industrial Average following a positive employment report left money managers hoping for a strong finish to what so far is the best year for stocks in a decade. The Dow is up 22%.

History seems to support the idea that 2014 will be less historic than 2013. Since 1927, there have been 23 years in which the S&P 500 has risen 20% or more, according to Birinyi Associates. It averaged a further gain of 6.4% in the next year. That is only slightly better than the 5.5% gain the S&P averaged for all years since 1927.

Top 10 Electric Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (SSNLF.PK)

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. mainly engaged in the production of consumer electronic products. It operates in two divisions: DMC division, which is divided into consumer electronics (CE) and information technology & mobile communications (IM) businesses, as well as DS division, which is divided into semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) businesses. Its CE business engages in the production of color televisions (CTVs), monitors, air conditioners, refrigerators and others. Its IM business engages in the production of printers, computers, handhold phones (HHPs) such as feature phones, smart phones and others, and network systems, among others. Its semiconductor business engages in the production of semiconductors, such as memories, system large scale integrated circuits (LSIs) and others. Its LCD business engages in the production of thin film transistor (TFT) LCDs and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), among others.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By George Kesarios]

  So in the prepaid market, surprisingly enough, Apple has actually scored points, despite the fact that it's a high-end high priced device maker. LG however is probably the biggest winner, because NPD tells us it doubled its market share, while Samsung (SSNLF.PK) has remained in the number one position having retained its market share. The biggest surprise of all however is that Nokia (NOK) is not on this list.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Avista Corporation (AVA)

Avista Corporation, an energy company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of energy and other energy-related businesses in the United States and Canada. It operates in two segments, Avista Utilities and Advantage IQ. The Avista Utilities segment involves in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity primarily from hydroelectric and thermal sources. It also engages in the distribution of natural gas to retail customers in eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and parts of northeast and southwest Oregon, as well as in the wholesale purchase and sale of electricity and natural gas. As of December 31, 2010, this segment operated facilities with a total net capability of 1,791 mega watts, as well as provided retail electric service to 359,000 customers; and retail natural gas service to 319,000 customers. This segment offers electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The Advantage IQ segment provides sustainable utility expense management and energy management solutions to multi-site companies in North America. It offers invoice processing, auditing and payment services, energy procurement, reporting, advanced analysis, and consulting services. In addition, the company engages in the custom sheet metal fabrication of electronic enclosures, parts, and systems for the computer, telecom, renewable energy, and medical industries; real estate investments, primarily commercial office buildings; and investing in emerging technology venture capital funds and low income housing. Avista Corporation was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Spokane, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Avista (NYSE: AVA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Avista (NYSE: AVA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Starting in 2013 the federal tax rates on qualified dividends are 0%, 15% and 20%. The 20% rate is for taxpayers in the 39.6% tax bracket. For those in the 10% and 15% brackets, there is no tax on qualified dividends. In contrast, ordinary income is taxed at rates up to up to 39.6%. Below are several stocks that have consistently paid dividends through depressions, recessions, world wars, and other political and economic upheavals:WGL Holdings Inc. (WGL) provides natural gas service in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and surrounding regions, including Maryland and Virginia. Yield: 4.1% | Paid Dividends Since: 1852Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), formed through the merger of Exxon and Mobil in late 1999, is the world's largest publicly owned integrated oil company. Yield: 2.7% | Paid Dividends Since: 1882Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED) is an electric and gas utility holding company serves parts of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Yield: 4.4% | Paid Dividends Since: 1885The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) is a leading consumer products company that markets household and personal care products in more than 180 countries. Yield: 3.2% | Paid Dividends Since: 1891The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is the world's largest soft drink company, KO also has a sizable fruit juice business. Yield: 2.9% | Paid Dividends Since: 1893General Mills, Inc. (GIS) is a major producer of packaged consumer food products, include cereal, yogurt and Betty Crocker desserts/baking mixes. Yield: 3.0% | Paid Dividends Since: 1898Avista Corp. (AVA) generates, transmits and distributes energy as well as engages in energy-related businesses in the United States and Canada. Yield: 3.0% | Paid Dividends Since: 1899MGE Energy Inc. (MGEE) is a public utility holding company that supplies electric service to apx. 140,000 customers; and natural gas service to apx. 145,000 customers in Wisconsin (as of December 2012). Yield: 2.8% | Paid Dividends Since: 1909Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) offers energy-related prod

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: S&P 500/Barra Value(SU)

Suncor Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated energy company. The company involves in the development of petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; acquisition, exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas in Canada and internationally; transportation and refining of crude oil; and marketing of petroleum and petrochemical products primarily in Canada. Its Oil Sands segment produces bitumen recovered from oil sands through mining and in-situ technology, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock, diesel fuel, and by-products. This segment?s products include gasoline and distillates. The company?s Natural Gas segment acquires, explores, develops, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquids, oil, and by-products from reserves located primarily in western Canada, the Northwest Territories, Alaska, and the Arctic Islands. Its International and Offshore segment engages in the exploration and pro duction of oil and gas in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, in the North Sea, and in Libya and Syria. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil at Suncor's refineries in Edmonton, Alberta; Montreal, Quebec; and Sarnia, Ontario in Canada, as well as in Commerce City, Colorado into a range of petroleum and petrochemical products for sale to retail, commercial, and industrial customers. It also transports crude oil through pipelines in eastern and western Canada, as well as through wholly-owned pipelines in Wyoming and Colorado; and produces specialty lubricants and waxes. In addition, this segment operates retail sites in Canada under the Petro-Canada brand; and in Colorado under Phillips 66 and Shell brands. Suncor Energy Inc. also engages in third-party energy trading activities. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Calgary , Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  As to be expected, the share price has drifted down from the peak after the bullish activity. But long term investors should take note of the resources owned by Octagon 88. Canadian energy assets have drawn "Big Oil" from around the world such as CNOOC (NYSE: CEO) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX). In addition, Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU), a major oil firm based in Canada, has Warren Buffett gobbling up its shares.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  At the same time, though, Total has been smart about not wasting its financial resources. It sold off its minority stake in one major venture in the Canadian oil sands to partner Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU  ) in May, taking a $1.65 billion charge but saving $5 billion in prospective costs. Suncor also abandoned the Voyageur project, validating Total's decision.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  What a Fool believes
  When Suncor (NYSE: SU  ) , the largest producer of oil sands, is shelving oil sands projects, you know it's hard to make a Loonie in the Canadian oil sands business right now. For investors, there has been very little love on this roller coaster as of late. Hopefully, regions like the Utica will be a good luck charm and will help to resolve some of the operational woes for the region. Then all oil sands advocates will need to do is deal with is find a market that will buy its product. Gulp.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SLXP)

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., incorporated on December 31, 2001, is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to acquiring, developing and commercializing prescription drugs and medical devices used in the treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, which are those affecting the digestive tract. As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� products included XIFAXAN, MOVIPREP, APRISO, RELISTOR, OSMOPREP, SOLESTA, DEFLUX, FULYZAQ, GIAZO, METOZOLV ODT, AZASAN, ANUSOL-HC, PROCTOCORT, PEPCID, DIURIL and COLAZAL. As of December 31, 2012, its primary product candidates under development included Rifaximin, Methylnaltrexone bromide oral, Budesonide foam and Rifaximin EIR. In January 2014, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. acquired Santarus, Inc.

Xifaxan (rifaximin) tablets

Xifaxan is a gastrointestinal-specific oral antibiotic. The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) approved Xifaxan 200 milligram for the treatment of patients 12 years of age and older with travelers��diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of E coli. Xifaxan 550 milligram was approved by the FDA for reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE), recurrence in patients 18 years of age or older.

It launched Xifaxan 200milligram in the United States and Xifaxan 550 milligram using its own direct sales force. The Company is exploring potential additional indications, formulations, clinical trials and co-promotion arrangements to capitalize on the potential for Xifaxan, including its development program in irritable bowel syndrome.

In October 2012, the USPTO declared an interference action to determine the priority of invention between Cipla�� application related to amorphous rifaximin and Solmag SpA�� application directed to amorphous rifaximin. In February 2012, the FDA posted draft bioequivalence guidance for rifaximin 550 milligram tablets. The draft guidance for rifaximin 550 milligram tablets recommends that in addition to conducting the program outlined in the FDA posted ! draft guidance document for rifaximin 200 milligram tablets discussed above, a single-dose, three-way crossover in-vivo study of fasting bioequivalence with pharmacokinetic endpoints in both fasting and fed states be performed in the 550 milligram tablets. Additionally, the guidance stipulated that the formulation of the 550 milligram strength should be proportionally similar to that of the 200 milligram strength in order to file an ANDA for approval of a generic rifaximin 550 milligram tablet for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy.

MoviPrep (PEG 3350, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid) oral solution

MoviPrep is a patent-protected, liquid polyethylene glycol-salt, or PEG, bowel cleansing product that the FDA approved. MoviPrep is indicated for bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy, intestinal surgery and barium enema X-ray examinations.

Apriso (mesalamine) extended-release capsules 0.375 gram

Apriso is a locally-acting aminosalicylate and is the only delayed and extended release mesalamine product approved by the FDA for once-a-day dosing for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis. Apriso is designed to provide for the distribution of the active ingredient beginning in the small bowel and continuing throughout the colon. The product�� prolonged release mechanism might allow them to expand the range of treatment options for ulcerative colitis.

Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide)

Relistor Subcutaneous Injection is indicated for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness who are receiving palliative care, when response to laxative therapy has not been sufficient. Relistor is approved for use in over 55 countries worldwide.

OsmoPrep and Visicol (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP, sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) tablets

Visicol and OsmoPrep tablets are indicated for clean! sing of t! he colon as a preparation for colonoscopy in adults 18 years of age or older. Visicol and OsmoPrep are the only, tablet bowel cleansing products approved by the FDA and marketed in the United States. OsmoPrep is a patented, second-generation tablet bowel cleansing product that the FDA approved. OsmoPrep offers potential benefits compared to Visico,l such as its lack of microcrystalline cellulose, smaller tablet size and possible lower dose administration.

Solesta

Solesta is a biocompatible tissue bulking agent, consisting of dextranomer microspheres and stabilized sodium hyaluronate. Solesta is indicated for the treatment of fecal incontinence in patients 18 years and older who have failed conservative therapy, such as diet, fiber therapy and/or anti-motility medications. It is the only injectable gel for this indication to be administered in an outpatient setting without the need for surgery or anesthesia.

Deflux

Deflux is a medical device indicated for children affected by Grades II-IV vesicoureteral reflux, a malformation of the urinary bladder that can result in severe infections of the kidneys and irreversible kidney damage. Deflux was granted premarket approval application (PMA) approval, and has been on the market in the United States.

Fulyzaq (crofelemer) delayed-release tablets

On December 31, 2012, the FDA granted marketing approval for this product, under the trade name Fulyzaq. Fulyzaq is indicated for the symptomatic relief of non-infectious diarrhea in adult patients with HIV/AIDS on anti-retroviral therapy. Fulyzaq should also be eligible for five years of marketing exclusivity from the date of FDA approval, and the product might be entitled to patent term restoration.

Giazo (balsalazide disodium) tablets

February 3, 2012, the FDA granted marketing approval for this product under the trade name Giazo. Giazo is indicated for the treatment of mildly to moderately active ulcerative col! itis in m! ale patients 18 years of age and older. It shipped Giazo to wholesalers in 2012.

Metozolv ODT (metoclopramide hydrochloride) 5 milligrams and 10 milligrams orally disintegrating tablets

METOZOLV ODT is indicated for the relief of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux or short-term (4-12 weeks) therapy for adults with symptomatic, documented gastroesophageal reflux who fail to respond to conventional therapy and diabetic gastroparesis or the relief of symptoms in adults associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis.

Azasan (azathioprine) tablets

Azasan is an FDA-approved drug that suppresses immune system responses and is indicated for preventing rejection of kidney transplants and treatment of severe arthritis. It launched the 75 and 100 milligrams dosage strengths of Azasan in the United States.

Anusol-HC and Proctocort (hydrocortisone) creams and suppositories

The Company acquired the right to sell Anusol-HC 2.5% (hydrocortisone USP) cream, Anusol-HC 25 milligrams (hydrocortisone acetate) rectal suppositories, Proctocort 1% (hydrocortisone USP) cream and Proctocort 30 mg (hydrocortisone acetate) rectal suppositories from King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The two cream products are topical corticosteroids indicated for relief of the inflammatory and pruritic, or itching, manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses. The two suppository products are indicated for use in inflamed hemorrhoids and postirradiation proctitis, as well as an adjunct in the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory conditions.

Pepcid (famotidine) for Oral Suspension and Diuril (Chlorothiazide)

Pepcid Oral Suspension is a widely known prescription pharmaceutical product indicated for several gastrointestinal indications, including the treatment of duodenal ulcer, benign gastric ulcer and gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Pepcid Oral Suspension and Diuril Oral Suspension, both liquid form! ulations ! of their solid dosage form counterparts, compete in a combined annual United States market concentrated in pediatric and hospitalized patient populations.

Colazal (balsalazide disodium) capsules

The Company launched Colazal to physicians in the United States. FDA approved Colazal for use in pediatric patients between 5 to 17 years of age with ulcerative colitis. The pediatric use of Colazal has been granted orphan drug designation. The Office of Generic Drugs, or OGD, approved three generic balsalazide capsule products.

The Company competes with GlaxoSmithKline plc, Giuliani S.p.A., Axcan Pharma, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Warner Chilcott plc, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc., Alaven Pharmaceutical LLC, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Ferndale Laboratories, GATE Pharmaceuticals , Nycomed , Medtronic, Inc., and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Salix Pharmaceuticals (SLXP) has jumped 5.9% to $160� on reports it was in talk to sell itself to Actavis (ACT). It was also upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse.

• [By Anna Prior]

  A U.S. Food and Drug Administration office has approved Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.'s(SLXP) appeal to gain approval for expanded usage of a constipation drug it licensed from Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PGNX), the companies said. Shares of Progenics climbed 12% to $4.75 premarket.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Santarus (NASDAQ: SNTS) shot up 37.95 percent to $32.03 after Salix Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SLXP) announced its plans to buy Santarus for around $2.12 billion. Santarus and Pharming also announced new data from open-label repeat treatment study with RUCONEST.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Plug Power Inc.(PLUG)

Plug Power Inc., an alternative energy technology provider, involves in the design, development, commercialization, and manufacture of fuel cell systems for the industrial off-road markets and stationary power markets worldwide. It develops and sells a range of fuel cell systems comprising hydrogen-fueled Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) systems. The company?s product line includes PEM GenDrive power unit for sale on commercial terms for industrial off-road consisting of forklift or material handling applications, with a focus on multi-shift high volume manufacturing and high throughput distribution sites. It sells its products to business, industrial, and government customers through direct product sales force, original equipment manufacturers, and their dealer networks. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Latham, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Peers Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), Ballard Power Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: BLDP), and Hydrogenics Corp. (NASDAQ: HYGS) have also shared in the stock price run-up. Any investor expecting more from FuelCell�� results was, perhaps, being irrationally exuberant.

• [By John Udovich]

  Despite horrendous losses for investors over the long term, small cap fuel cell stocks FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL) and Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) have both made gains this year. However, which is the better small cap fuel cell stock for investors moving forward or should you just ignore both?

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Plug Power (PLUG) has risen 1.6% to $4.48 after the company said it had shipped more than 850 fuel cells in the third quarter.

  JC Penney (JCP) has fallen 1.3% to $7.54 after the beaten-down retailer was cut to Sell from Hold at Maxim Group.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: Wynn Resorts Limited(WYNN)

Wynn Resorts, Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, ownership, and operation of destination casino resorts. The company owns and operates Wynn Las Vegas casino resort in Las Vegas, which includes approximately 22 food and beverage outlets comprising 5 dining restaurants; 2 nightclubs; 1 spa and salon; 1 Ferrari and Maserati automobile dealership; wedding chapels; an 18-hole golf course; meeting space; and foot retail promenade featuring boutiques. Wynn Las Vegas casino resort also features approximately 147 table games, 1 baccarat salon, private VIP gaming rooms, 1 poker room, 1,842 slot machines, and 1 race and sports book. It also owns and operates an Encore at Wynn Las Vegas resort, a destination casino resort located adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas that features a 2,034 all-suite hotel, as well as a casino with 95 table games, 1 sky casino, 1 baccarat salon, private VIP gaming rooms, and 778 slot machines. In addition, the company operates Wyn n Macau casino resort located in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People?s Republic of China. Wynn Macau casino resort features approximately 595 hotel rooms and suites, 410 table games, 935 slot machines, 1 poker room, 1 sky casino, 6 restaurants, 1 spa and salon, lounges, meeting facilities, and retail space featuring boutiques. Further, it operates Encore at Wynn Macau resort located adjacent to Wynn Macau. Encore at Wynn Macau resort features approximately 410 luxury suites and 4 villas, as well as casino gaming space, including a sky casino consisting of 60 table games and 80 slot machines, 2 restaurants, 1 luxury spa, and retail space. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  While Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS  ) and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN  ) are both major players in Macau, MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM  ) is making a big push to grow its base in the Chinese gambling mecca, while it also has a massive footprint in Las Vegas, and the other two have a much lower room count. MGM owns a good portion of the Las Vegas Strip, and as we continue to see average daily hotel room rates rise for the city and increased gaming revenue for the strip, we will see MGM greatly benefit from a recovering American tourist industry and a stronger Las Vegas.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Any thought that the Las Vegas gaming market would recover quickly after the recession has long since been lost, but there is a slow and steady recovery taking place in Sin City. High-end operators Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS  ) and Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN  ) have been seeing improved results as wealthy customers return to the casinos, but the lower end of the market, where MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM  ) and Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR  ) play, has been choppy to say the least.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2014: ESSA Bancorp Inc. (ESSA)

ESSA Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for ESSA Bank & Trust that provides a range of financial services to individuals, families, and businesses in Pennsylvania. The company provides deposit accounts comprising savings accounts, NOW accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, club accounts, certificates of deposit, IRAs, and other qualified plan accounts, as well as commercial checking accounts for businesses. It also offers residential first mortgage loans, including one-to-four family residential loans and construction mortgage loans; commercial real estate loans; home equity loans and lines of credit; and commercial and consumer loans, as well as various unsecured or secured loans, loans secured by deposits, personal loans, and automobile loans. In addition, the company provides asset management and trust services, and investment services, as well as insurance benefit consulting services, including health insurance, life insurance, short term and lo ng term disability, dental, vision, and 401(K) retirement planning, as well as individual health products. As of September 30, 2013, it operated 26 full-service banking offices, including 13 offices in Monroe County, 6 offices in Lehigh County, and 7 offices in Northampton County in Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1916 and is based in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Right now I know that silver miners like Pan American Silver (PAAS) and Coeur Mining (CDE) are very cheap on an asset basis. I know that oil and gas producers like Swift Energy (SFY) and WPX Energy (WPX) are priced as if no one will ever use the stuff again. I know that small banks like Cape Bancorp (CBNJ) and Essa Bancorp (ESSA) are crazy-cheap — and if the world does not end, those stocks will be a lot higher in a few years.

• [By Tim Melvin]

  I get somewhat amused every day by the thousands of traders who spend all day trying to figure out what the hot stocks like Twitter (TWTR) and Facebook (FB) are going to do every day. Owning stocks like these two banks — or ones I have mentioned before, like ESSA Bancorp (ESSA) and Charter Financial (CHFN) — will be a far more profitable and relaxing endeavor over the next few years.